When the sun shines more in summertime, I love to go for a walk and admire the meadow where heather flowers bloom beautifully. I learned that there are two types of heather flowers: Ling (Calluna vulgaris) and Bell (Erica cinerea). The most common variety found in the UK is Ling (Calluna vulgaris), which creates vast, dense mats across the meadows. The flowers are tiny and delicate, with scale-like petals. For beekeepers, honey produced from Ling Heather is considered "true" heather honey, known for its strong caramel, musk, and bitter notes. Sadly, I've never had a chance to taste it, but I do know that heather flowers can produce shades of yellow to soft pink.

When harvesting the flowers, make sure to pick the open blossoms and avoid the leaves. We can use a pair of scissors or just sweep your fingers along the stems. I gathered some flowers, but not enough for a full batch, so I ordered from a natural dye supplier that offers dried heather flowers ready for use. The flowers came without a recipe, so I need to experiment and develop one myself.

A few questions came to mind:
Should I soak the dried flowers first?
How many do I need for a dye pot?
Will the colour vary on different materials?
What about after applying the mordant? Should I print before or after dyeing?

I decided to try four different materials: two cellulose fibre-based (cotton and linen) and two protein fibre-based (silk and wool). I also experimented with printing the mordant instead of mixing it into the dye bath, using alum, citric acid, copper, and iron. In addition, I tried both pre-printing and post-printing techniques. 

This has been my experience; have you ever tried dyeing with heather? Please share your thoughts with us.